Parachute pack latch mechanism



Nov. l?, 1953 G. L. FOGAL ET AL PARACHUTE PACK LATCH MEcHANsM 2 Sheets-Sheei l Sep-t` 27,

INVENTORS,

2 Sheets-Sheep 2 Nov. 17, 1953 G. l.. FOGAL ET Ax.

PARACHUTE: PACK LATCH MECHANISM Filed sept. 27, 1951 Patented Nov. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE espinacas sepfemer 27, 1951, serial No.Y 248,62`i

(Granted under Title 35,1 U. S; Code (1.95.2), sec. 266) The present invention relates to parachute packs for use with aircraft launched mines and more particularly to a parachutek pack having an improved latch mechanism for releasably retaining the cover thereof.

The present invention provides. improvements over the device disclosed in Patent No. 2,476,969 issued to G. L. Fogal et al. for Parachute Pack. In the device ofthe present invention the static line of the parachute pack is separated from the metallic retaining latch after the static line moves thelatch to release the cover of the pack, the latch being secured to the cover against displacement. y

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved latching mechanisml for the cover of a parachute pack which is de'- tached in a positive manner from the static line of the pack during a launching operation.

Another object is to provide an improvedv latching mechanism for the cover of a parachute pack which prevents damage to the aircraft during a launching operation.

A further object is to provide a novel cover retaining mechanism for a parachute pack which releases the cover upon being pulled by a static line attached thereto and which thereafter isf released from the static line in a positive mannerand leaving no metallic parts onthe free endthereof. y Y

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will beY readily appreciated as the same becomes betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: i

Fig. l is a face view of a parachute pack in accordance with the present invention4 and showing the latch mechanism in a position to secure' the cover of the pack;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view takenaloiig line 2'"-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectionalv view' of the latching mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of theV latch per se;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to` Fig. 3 andshowirig? one way of releasing the cover and static line; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5y and showing another way of release.

Referring more particularly to thev drawings wherein like numerals indicate like parts throughout `the several views, I0 indicates generally aparachute pack for use' with' an aerial launched mine (not shown), and having a dish* shaped housing I2 and a cover I3 therefor both being formed of a suitable molded plastic mate# rial. The housing I2 is indented as at I4 to taround the tail portion of a mine (not shown) A pin I5 has secured thereto a disk member I5v and is axially mounted on the outside ofY the indented portion I4 by rivets I'I. In order to strengthen the point of attachment a second disk member I8 is mounted on the inside'V of the indented portion I fi, the rivets Il also passing through disk I8. Pin I5y is provided atapoint approximately midway the length thereof with an enlarged stop portion I9, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fully described. The pin I5 is also provided at the opposite end with respect to disk I6 with a reduced portion 2! and a head 22. K

Cover I3 is provided at the axis thereof with a hub enlargement 23 having a bore 24 therethrough. A ilanged tubular member 25 isv mounted in bore 24 and is secured therein by flange 2% at the outer end thereofwand by spinning the inner end over washer 2l, Interposed between ange 2S and the outer surface ofY cover I t1 is thehinner one of a pair of hinged member-s 28 and 29 forming a latch indicated generally at SI. Inner member 28 is provided withman elongated slot 32 to permit limited longitudinal movement, of member 28with respectpto tubular` member 25. Member y28 has a pair of hinge tubes t3 at one end thereof and an outwardlyA turned lip or hger 3E at the other end thereof, while member 2i)v is provided with a keyhole slot 35 adjacent slot 32, a hinge tubeBB atvone end and an outwardly and inwardly bent static line receiving finger 37 which nests against the lip 3B. Member 2Qv is also provided with a pair of sti-iening angeshalng the sides thereof as indicated' at 38. Keyhole slot 35 isn provided at the restricted end thereof with a slight recess 39 for receiving the head 22 of pin I5. A pin ci passes through hingel tubes 33 and 3S to hingedly secure members 28 and 249 together. l.

Secured by screws E2 interiorly of the coverv I3' and adjacent one side thereof is an eye member A3. Mounted Within the pack I0 is a parachute M having one end of a line i5` secured thereto at a convenient` point. Line A5 is secured atlthe other end thereof to the eye 43. A pocket 46 is secured to the cover I3 on the outside thereof by means of rivets 4l, a length of static line 48 being flded therein. AS indicated in Fig. l the Stat line, Slt 'e elld thereof, has ety fastener '49 fastened tHlt byV i/IS' f an adjustable buckle I, the other end of the static line 48 also being fastened to the parachute 44 at a convenient point. As further indicated in Fig. 1 the folded static line 48 passes out of the pocket 46 through the linger portion 31 of latch 3|, back into the pocket 46 and thence into the pack I0.

The housing I2 is provided at the periphery thereof with notches 52 through which pass the shroud lines 53 of parachute 44, the lines 53 being secured to the mine or other load in any well-known manner (not shown).

In securing the cover I3 to housing I2, the cover i3 is placed within the lip of housing i2, pin l5 extending into hanged tubular member and by springing inwardly the center of cover i3 until the inner end of member 25 contacts stop I9 and the head 22 of pin I5 projects through the enlarged portion of keyhole slot 35 of outer member 29. Latch 3I is moved with respect to the securing tubular member 25 to the other end of elongated slot 32 which aligns the recess 35i at the reduced end of keyhole slot 35 with the head 22 of pin I5. Cover I3 is released to spring outwardly thus nesting head 22 in recess 35 and securing the latch 3I in latching position to secure the cover I3 and the static line 4S.

In operation, when the mine or load is released rom an aircraft in flight, one end of the static line 43 being fastened to the launching aircraft, a length of the folded portion of the static line is pulled from the pocket 45. A pull is exerted on latch 3l by static line 48 moving the latch to the opposite end of slot 32 by either forcing head 22 out of recess 39 or breaking pin I5 at reduced portion 2|.

It is, of course, understood that latch 3l is secured to cover I3 loosely to permit sliding and rotative movement of the latch with respect to the cover. The latch will thus turn in the direction of pull when a pulling force is exerted by the static line.

When the head 22 is broken off or pulls through the enlarged portion of keyhole slot 35, the cover I3 is released. Cover I3 acts as a pilot, withdrawing parachute 44 from housing I2 by means of line 45. There is also provided an extension of static line 48 which passes from latch 3l back to pocket 4S and thence into the pack I through one of the notches 52 where it is attached to the parachute 44. The purpose of the foregoing static line extension is to ensure the opening of the parachute in case of failure of line d5. When the cover is released the outer latch member 29 hinges on pin 4 I activated by the pull of the static line 48, the finger portion 3'! moving away from lip 34 thus releasing the static line 48 from the latch and cover and having no metallic parts on the free end thereof to whip in the slip stream of the aircraft to cause injury to the aircraft.

Obviously many modications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Latching apparatus for a parachute pack having a cover and comprising, in combination, a first member having a hinge end and a finger end, said first member having an elongated slot substantially intermediate the ends thereof, a second member having a hinge end and a finger end, said second member having a keyhole slot substantially intermediate the ends thereof and adapted to overlie the elongated slot, means extending through the hinge ends of said rst and second members for hingedly joining said members together, a headed pin axially and fixedly mounted in said pack and extending through an axial opening in said cover when said cover is sprung inwardly, and a flanged tubular member extending through said axial opening and said elongated opening for securing said rst member to said cover for lateral and rotary motion with respect thereto, said pin extending through the tubular member and said first and second members, said keyhole slot having at the reduced end thereof a recess for receiving the head of said pin to prevent accidental displacement of said latch.

2. A parachute pack for an aircraft launched load comprising, in combination, a dish-shaped housing for said parachute, a cover for said housing, a pin mounted axially and ixedly within said housing, said pin having a stop portion, a reduced portion and a head portion, said cover having an axial bore to receive said reduced and head portions of said pin, said bore being of less diameter than the stop portion to prevent movement of the cover beyond the stop portion, and a latch member for said cover, said latch member including a pair of hingedly connected members, one of said hingedly connected members having an elongated slot, the other of said hingedly connected members having a keyhole slot overlying said elongated slot and adapted to receive the head portion of said pin, said hingedly connected members having finger means for releasably retaining a static line, said static line exerting a Dull on said 1atch as the load is released from the aircraft to release said latch.

3. Latching apparatus for retaining the cover of the housing of a parachute for an aerial launched mine comprising, in combination, headed pin means secured to said housing and extending through the axis thereof, a pair of mutually hinged latch members, each of said latch members having a hinged end and a free end, one of said latch members being secured to said cover for sliding movement with respect thereto and having an outwardly turned nger at the free end thereof, the other of said latch members having a keyhole slot for receiving said pin whereby the latch retains said cover on said housing when the latch is moved to the latching position thereof and having an inwardly turned nger at the free end thereof, one of said ngers overlying the other of said fingers to releasably retain a static line when the latch is in the latching position thereof, said static line being secured to an aerial launching means and exerting a pull on said latch to move said latch to the pin releasing position thereof when said mine is launched, said latch releasing the static line when the latch is moved to the pin releasing position.

4. In a latch apparatus for a covered parachute pack comprising, in combination, a pair of members hinged together and adapted to be 1n face adjacency when in latching position, a finger portion formed on the free end of each of said hinged members, said nger portions being bent in a direction toward `each other and intertting to releasably secure a static line to said latch, one of said pair of members having an elongated slot formed intermediate the ends thereof, the other one of said pair of members having a keyhole slot formed therein and normally overlying said elongated slot, headed pin means xed to said pack and mounted interiorly and axially therein, means for fastening said one of said pair of members to the cover of said pack for limited sliding movement, said pin means extending through the elongated slot and the keyhole slot of said pair of members whereby sliding movement of the members in one direction locks the cover and the static line to the pack and movement in the opposite direction unlocks the cover and static line therefrom.

5. Latching apparatus for retaining the cover of the housing of a parachute for an aerial launched mine comprising, in combination, headed means secured to said housing, a flanged tubular member fixed to and extending through said cover, said headed means extending through said tubular member, and a pair of hingedly connected latch members forming a jaw, the inner of said latch members being retained on said tubular member for limited sliding movement with respect thereto, the outer` of said latch members having keyhole slot means in releasable locking engagement with said headed means whereby a static line is releasably held in said jaw, said latch members moving with respect to said tubular member and said headed means to release the headed means through the keyhole slot when a pull of suicient force is exerted on said static line.

6. Latching apparatus for retaining the cover of the housing of a parachute for an aerial launched mine comprising, in combination, weakened headed means secured to said housing, a

flanged tubular member fixed to and extending through said cover, said headed means extending through said tubular member, and a pair of hingedly connected latch members forming a jaw, the inner of said latch members being retained on said tubular member, the outer 0f said latch members having a, keyhole slot therein and being releasably retained on said headed means whereby a static line is releasably held in said jaw and the cover is retained on said housing, said weakened headed means breaking to release said outer latch member and said cover when a pull of suicient force is exerted on said static line.

7. Latching apparatus for retaining the cover of a parachute housing for an aerial launched mine, weakened headed means secured to said housing and extending through said cover, and a pair of hingedly connected latch members forming a jaw for releasably receiving a static line, the inner of said latch members being secured to said cover, the outer of said members having means for receiving said weakened headed means thereby to retain said cover on the housing and t0 release the cover when a pull of sufcient force is exerted on the static line to break the weakened headed means.

GORDON L. FOGAL. ALBERT M. MITNICK.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 689,991 Rubin Dec. 31, 1901 2,476,969 Fogal July 26, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 256,735 Great Britain Aug. 19, 1926 

